I’m Going Back To Old Kentucky #187

From October 1, 2010 through to the end of September 2011, we will, each day, celebrate the life of Bill Monroe by sharing information about him and those people who are associated with his life and music career. This information will include births and deaths; recording sessions; single, LP and CD release dates; and other interesting tidbits. Richard F. Thompson is responsible for the research and compilation of this information. We invite readers to share any tidbits, photos or memories you would like us to include.

  • April 5, 1996 Bill Monroe was admitted for observation at Baptist Hospital, where he suffered a stroke within a few days.

Penny Parsons, a free-lance writer who has worked in sales, public relations, production, and management in the bluegrass industry for over 25 years, shares her thoughts on a her favorite Bill Monroe song …..

“I find it impossible to pick ONE favorite Monroe song. There are so many good ones. But if pressed, I suppose I must choose Memories of Mother and Dad. One reason I pick this one is that my favorite Monroe period was when Jimmy Martin was his lead singer, plus I really love their duets. Another is that I find those images from the chorus so haunting: ‘On Mother’s ‘Gone but not forgotten,’ on Dad’s ‘We’ll meet again someday.’

This song really took on a life for me when I went to visit Bill’s grave in Rosine just a few weeks after his death. While we were there we looked at all the family graves, and there they were – his parents’ tombstones with those inscriptions on them. Gives me cold chills every time I think about it.”

Bill Monroe – The Wayfaring Stranger ….. a particularly mournful version performed solo ….

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About the Author

Richard Thompson

Richard F. Thompson is a long-standing free-lance writer specialising in bluegrass music topics. A two-time Editor of British Bluegrass News, he has been seriously interested in bluegrass music since about 1970. As well as contributing to that magazine, he has, in the past 30 plus years, had articles published by Country Music World, International Country Music News, Country Music People, Bluegrass Unlimited, MoonShiner (the Japanese bluegrass music journal) and Bluegrass Europe. He wrote the annotated series I'm On My Way Back To Old Kentucky, a daily memorial to Bill Monroe that culminated with an acknowledgement of what would have been his 100th birthday, on September 13, 2011.